Conflux Technology, a company focused on heat exchanger design and manufacturing, developed a metal 3D printed water-to-air cooler for Donkervoort’s P24 RS supercar in 2025. This component continues the advantages of 3D printing, such as lighter weight, smaller size, and improved performance. It is considered by Conflux as one of the major innovative products of the year. According to sources, it is made from aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, weighs only 1.4 kg, while a comparable traditional device weighs 16 kg.
The cooler first achieved integrated design with a dual-module structure directly integrated between the turbocharger and throttle body, shortening the total length of the intake piping by two-thirds and significantly enhancing engine response. Additionally, each component features a bio-inspired structure optimized with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), including density-varying cooling fins with 0.2-0.5mm thickness gradients, a thin-walled cooler with a wall thickness of just 0.8mm, and spiral internal flow channels.
The cooler’s shape is cylindrical, which helps provide a larger heat dissipation area within limited space and allows for a more efficient spatial arrangement. The side piping connections can be linked to other components, enabling the transfer of coolant or other cooling media. This design allows the cooler to work alongside other cooling systems to form a complete heat exchange loop, thus improving cooling efficiency.
Another typical feature is the internal spiral heat fins, which significantly enhance cooling efficiency by increasing the contact area with the air. As air flows through the spiral fins, it can better dissipate heat. Compared to traditional flat plate designs, this optimized structure helps lower operating temperatures more effectively.
The new intercooler will be provided to Dutch supplier VanDerLee, who supplies components to McLaren and Koenigsegg, and will be integrated with their turbochargers. Due to its compact design, it can be placed within the engine compartment instead of being mounted at the front of the vehicle. Reports suggest that this will allow for faster vehicle response.
Each component is 3D printed and customized, allowing for the optimization of fin geometry, density, and size according to engineering priorities. The cooler also integrates custom-sized thin-walled radiators, providing better cooling with less coolant and a smaller surface area.
